Chapter 54 (2/2)

“Took him long enough,” Tina muttered as the ship started to plummet. “He could’ve finished faster and helped us fight that dragon.”

“Chad boarded the ship?” Dustin asked with his eyebrow raised.

Tina grunted in affirmation. A low rumbling roar brought their attention back onto Lindyss. The golden aura was now circling around her foot, forced down by the purple aura. A miniature dragon head formed and dispersed repeatedly as a purple bat head chased after it, slowly eroding the golden aura. Lindyss’ breathing was shallow and her aura visibly diminished compared to the one before.

Metal clanked as an armed demon ran over to Dustin. The demon saluted and said, “We found a severed arm. My partner is keeping an eye on it. We did not engage as per orders.”

Dustin nodded. “Lead the way,” he said.

Tina raised an eyebrow, but her face darkened when she realized Lindyss was still missing an arm. She glanced at Delphina, who nodded back at her. The two followed Dustin and the armed demon.

“It’s right ahead,” the armed demon said. A scream rose into the air and the three following demons dashed forward, surpassing the armed demon in front of them. They arrived in time to see another armed demon clawing at his own face and multiple smaller worms burrowing into the ground. A sword, stained with green blood laid on the floor next to him.

“Damnit,” Tina said while growling. She raised her staff into the air and started to chant. Delphina grabbed Dustin and dragged him back.

“She’s using absolute zero,” Delphina said and bit her lip. “Let’s hope she finishes before any parasites escape.” Her eyes drifted to the multiple holes in the ground.

Dustin nodded and placed his hands to the ground. Lines of fire snaked from his fingers and dove into the holes left behind. Delphina clasped her hands together and a barrier formed around herself and Dustin.

Twenty seconds passed and Tina stopped chanting. She slammed the bottom of her staff against the ground. A blue sphere of light flashed through the area. Everything that the light touched stopped moving and a layer of ice formed on their surface. The armed demon who led the way arrived just in time for the blue light to wash over him.

“Shatter!” Tina shouted and slammed her staff against the floor. Cracks formed along the ice before it disintegrated. The two frozen demons disappeared into a myriad of ice crystals, leaving no trace behind. Buildings and trees disintegrated, turning into tiny puddles of water. The ground beneath her caved in, leaving behind a crater with no trace of the worms or any of their holes. Delphina’s barrier faded away and she glanced around.

“I think she got them all.”

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Tears streamed down Rella and Bella’s cheeks as they sat underneath a dome of mist beneath a tree. “We should’ve stopped her,” Rella said in between sniffles. Bella nodded and sobbed harder.

Stella let out a sigh as she rubbed her children’s backs. Her body tensed and she frowned. She turned her body and slammed her fist against the ground. The ground split open and a worm leaking green blood flew up into the air, trapped by a purple bubble of mana. Stella waved her hand and the bubble flew towards her.

“What have we here?” Stella murmured.